Partition-wall



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Modei.)

W. GRIESSER.

PARTITIGN WALL.

Pagented June Q, 1885.

El Il (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. GRIESSER.

PARTITION WALL.

No. 319,576. Patented June 9, 1885.

- AN4 PETERS. Fmwumogmpnan washanmm m:

nire rares .artnr rrrenq WILLIAM GRIESSER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

PARTITION-WALL SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 319,576, dated June 9, 1885.

Application filed March 25, 1885.

T0 @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM Gnrnssnn, a subject of the Emperor of Germany, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Partition-Walls; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to the partition-walls provided in buildings to divide up spaces to afford rooms of desired dimensions. As such partitions are commonly constructed they afford permanent fixtures, which cannot be removed without their demolition. rIho ugh such construction may answer if the original division of buildings into rooms according to the architectural plans from which they are built is maintained, it frequently happens that thc same building is used at different times for different purposes, and to adapt it to such changes of use the internal arrangement requires to be altered by tearing down partitions in various locations and erecting others in other desired locations. This would be the case-to cite one instance-whcre a store were altered to afford oiiice-rooins. It also not infrequently happens, particularly in the ease of buildings suitably divided up to afford rooms for office purposes, that it becomes desirable, for the convenience of a tenant, to divide up a single large room, to produce several smaller separate rooms, to do which, however, according to the manner of constructing partitions hitherto employed, necessitates the provision of permanent walls,.which might be required to be removed for the convenience of the same, or of a succeeding tenant, but to do which would entail an expense and inconvenience which would forbid the undertaking of the change.

It is my object to provide a construction for partition-walls whereby they shall answer all the purposes of fixed partitions as at present provided in buildings, but which may be readily inserted and adj usted, and when once adjusted as readily removed or changed from one position to another, to alter the dimensions or forni of the inclosure which they surround.

To this end my invention consists in a port able partitioii-\vall adjustable in a vertical (No model.)

direction, whereby it may, after being placed in its position, be extended to bear against the ceiling and floor.

My invention also consists in the construction of the portable adjustable partition-wall whereby it is automatically raised in a vertical direction from the floor when out of contact with the ceiling; and my invention further consists in certain details of the construction and combinations of the parts forming my construction, all as hereinafter particularly set forth.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional end elevation of a partition-Wall having a central portion broken away and constructed in accordance with my invention, Fig. 2, a horizontal section of a'portion of a partition-Wall, taken on the line 2 2 of Fig.`l, and viewed in a downward direction, and ldisplaying details of construction and the preferred manner of adjusting vertical sections of the wall in forming a rectilinear partition; Fig. 3, a similar view' of a modification illustrating the construction of an angle other than a right angle in the partition, and Fig. 4 a similar View illustrating the construction of a right angle in the partition.

The wall is formed in separate vertical sections, adjusted, preferably, to opposite sides of a center piece in the manner hereinafter described, each vertical section being preferably about ve feet in width. The center piece referred to, to opposite sides of which the framework of the vertical sections forming the walls proper may be adjusted, though not necessarily, nor throughout an entire partition, since in some instances it maybe preferred to adj ust one vertical section directly to another by means of the tonguesand recesses hereinafter described, comprises the following construction:

A, Fig. 2, is a vertical plank, preferably of l wood, and of a width commensurate with the thickness of the partition, and of a thickness corresponding with one-half the thickness of the partition-wall, of which plank one end is represented in the gure, and having one side oblique, to form an angle of about forty-five degrees, and A is a similar plank, made triincide with the sides of the part A when the IOO angular to cause its right-angular sides to co- Y hypotenusc of the triangular plank A is adjusted to the oblique side of the plank A. The two parts A and A', forming the center piece, are secured together lby bolts t, extending through both, and provided withV ornamental nuts t upon the projecting ends. One side of the plank A is provided with a tongue, s, and the opposite side is provided with arecess in line with the tongue s, to receive a tongue projecting from the adjacent end of a section of wall to be adjusted and formed by cutting into the part A at an angle inline with its oblique side, and providing the base of the recess s thus formed to lie parallel with the sides of the part A, and cutting away the inner edge of the angular plank A', to permit the passage across it into the recess s of the adjacent side of a triangular tongue, s, upon al section of wall. -The part A A thus described forms, as hereinbefore stated, the preferred connecting medium for two similar vertical sections of partition-wall constructed as follows:

B B are vertical boards (one board B only being shown in the drawings) for each section of wall, preferably-for a section of partition like the present, iive feet wide-about ten inches wide byone inch thick. The boards B are provided in suitable number and placed thedesired distance apart edgewise to the part A.

B B are boards similar in width and thickness to the boards B, and crossing them at right angles edgewise to the fiat sides of the boards B.

Fig. l clearly represents the position 'of the boards Bl with relation to the boards B.

Each vertical section of the Apartition-wall in which the boardsB and B form, as it were, the skeleton is provided on one lateral edge with a tongue, s, and on the opposite lateral edge, in line with the tongue s, with a recess, s', corresponding with the recess and tongue provided upon the central connecting medium A A of the vertical sections, when such part is employed, though, as it will be seen, when such part is not employed, the connection may be made directlyof one vertical section to auother. If the wall is made fire-proof, angleirons C, to which laths are secured, may be adjusted vertically, as shown, and if the walls are to be plastered, U shaped irons C, extending the width or nearly the width of the partition,are provided, and determine the thickness of the lathing and plasterin g. The space between thel opposite sides of the vertical sectionsof partition, may, if desired, be iilled with suitable material to afford density to the wall, and the lines of junction of separate sections and parts may be covered by ornamental molding t2. Each vertical section of partition is provided toward its lower end (see Fig. l) and toward each lateral end with rigid braces q and q', one above the other, and extending transversely across the interior of the partition and supported by the walls, and each is formed of two parallel bars bolted together face to face, as shown, Yor of single bars, if preferred, and each brace q and q is provided toward its center with an opening to admit a vertical stem, D, through it, which stem carries in its forked extremity, affording bearings, aroller,

E. Two stems D and rollers E are provided, vforV each vertical section of partition, one being adjusted toward each lateral end of the same, and a spiral spring, p, of suitable strength, surrounds each stem toward its upper extremity, and is confined in its position between a stop, o, formed on the stem and the lower side of the transverse brace q. The weight of a section of partition-wall is thus partly borne, and sometimes entirely, as will be hereinafter shown, by the -rollers E. Two bracesm and n', counterparts of the braces q and q', and supported like the latter, are provided toward the upper extremity on each lateral end of a section of wall, and are provided with central screw-threaded openings to form nutsy for the set-screw F, which is secured. at its head to extend centrally from the internal frame, G, of the cap piece or molding H, hereinafter described, into the nuts provided in the braces u and a'. The internal transverse diameter of the frame G of the cap piece or molding H, which may be made to assume any desired form externally, is such as to permit the `sides of a iinished section of partitionwall, including, if provided, a suitable panel, m, bordered underneath by a picture-molding, m', if desired, to iit snugly between its sides, and an opening, Z, for and leading to the perforated head of each screw F, is provided. to permit access to the latter for the insertion into openings 7c in the head of a suitable lever for adjusting the partition vertically in the manner hereinafter described.

The sections of partition, including the cappieces with attendant parts, and parts A A, and constructed as described, may be madein the workshop, ready for adjustment in the places :for which they are intended, and where my construction is adopted, to be employed throughout buildings undergoing erection. Much time is saved on this account.

To apply my device, the vertical sections of partition are transported from t-he workshop in their finished condition to the positions in buildings, to occupy which they are suitably constructed as to dimensions, Ste., and iitted together at their lateral ends by means of tongues and recesses and center pieces, A'A, the cap-piece of each vertical section being lowered by means of the set-screws F to permit the section to be moved between the floor and ceiling of the inclosure in which the partitions are to be set. When the sections of partitions have thus been properly adjusted in position, thel cap-piece H of each is raised` by turning the screws F through the medium of the lever already referred to, to extend the upper side of the part H against the surface of the ceiling,whereby the section may be firmly pressed at opposite extremities against the ceiling and floor, and thus secured in position.

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To release a section from its fixed position, the

p screws F are turned in the opposite direction,

when the springs p will operate to raise the frame-work of the section from contact with the floor, and thus cause it to rest entirely upon the rollers E, whereby it may be readily moved. This operation will be useful, besides serving the purpose, when desired, of permitting the section to be moved, to raise a section without removing it for various other purposessuch, for example, as laying or removing carpets, which may be drawn underneath the rollers E without great difliculty, owing to the yielding tendency afforded them by the springs p.

Itis obvious that an extensible partition of the foregoing .description is as readily taken apart and removed,when once set, as it is adj usted, and the construction will, owing to the operation of the springs p, avoid cracks in the partitionwalls from the settling of buildings provided with my improvement.

The modified form of construction shown in Fig. 3 demonstrates the manner of utilizing parts of an entire wall forming an inclosure without providing extra parts in making an alteration-such, for example, as will necessitate a change in the angle of one side or in the angles of more than one side. By removing the part A' from its position shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings to that shown in Fig. 3 an angle of forty-five degrees on the one side and one of one hundred and thirty-jive on the opposite side may be provided. It is ol' course not necessary to observe throughout an entire partition-wall the angle described in adjusting the parts A and A', since by adjusting these parts in different sections at varying angles means will be afforded to accommodate the walls in providing an inclosure of any required form. No difficulty will ever be experienced in changing the position of doors, or, rather, of sections containing doors.

To form a right angle in the partition, two parts, A A', are adjusted in the manner represented in Fig. 4.

X/Vhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. A portable partition-wall extensible in a vertical direction to bear against ceiling and floor, substantially as described.

2. A portable partition-wall vertically adjustable to bear against ceiling and iioorand provided with spring mechanism, substantially as described,whereby it is automatically maintained out of contact with the floor when released from contact with the ceiling, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. A portable partition-wall formed in vertical sections adjusted together to permit to each section independent vertical movement and extensible in a vertical direction to bear against ceiling and iloor, substantially as described.

4. A portable partition-wall formed in vertical sections adjusted laterally together to permit to them independent vertical movement and vertically adjustable to be-ar against ceiling and floor, and provided with spring mechanism, substantially as described, whereby they are automatically maintained out of contact with the floor when released. from contact with the ceiling, as and for the purpose set forth.

5. A portable partition-wall formed in Vertical sections comprising each a frame and a cap-portion, H, fitting over the frame and supported thereon by set-screws F, operating in suitable nuts secured within the frame by turning the set-screws to raisel and. lower the cap-portion H with reference to the frame, as and for the purpose set forth.

6. A portable partition-wall formed in vertical sections comprising each a frame provided with rollers E, carried in suitable bearings upon stems operating in guides within the frame, springs p, upon the stems and confined between stops thereon and the uppermost of the said guides, and a cap-portion, H, fitting over the frame and supported thereon by set-screws F, operating in suitable nuts secured within the frame by turning the setscrews to raise and lower the cap-portion and frame, as and for the purpose set forth.

7. A portable partition-wall formed in vertical sections comprising each a frame provided with rollers E, carried in suitable bearings upon stems operating in guides within the frame, springs p, upon the stems and conlined between stops thereon and the uppermost of the guides, a cap-portion, H, fitting over the frame and supported thereon by setscrews F, operating in suitable nuts secured within the frame by turning the said set-screws tolower the cap-portion and frame, and a center piece upon opposite sides of which vertical sections are joined to permit to each section independent vertical movement, each center piece comprising separable planks A and A', having each an oblique side adjustable substantially as described, the whole being constructed and arranged to operate substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

WILLIAM GRIESSER.

In presence of MASON Bleoss, EDWARD Tuonrn.

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